Preview: Nationals at Red Sox

June 08, 2012|Reuters

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Preview: Nationals at Red Sox

After dropping a series to one Beltway team, the Boston Red Sox are hoping to have a little more success against the other when they host the Washington Nationals in interleague play on Friday. The Red Sox avoided a sweep and stayed above .500 with a win over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday. They will bring the majors' No. 2 offense into the three-game set with the Nationals, who own the major's best team ERA at 2.97.

Washington will learn a lot about itself and its pitching staff over the next few weeks. The Nationals are scheduled to face the entire AL East roster, with road series at Toronto and Baltimore and home dates against the Yankees and Rays. They took two of three from the New York Mets this week but are just 3-5 over the last eight games. Boston remains in last place in the AL East but is in the midst of a stretch of 15 of 21 games at Fenway Park. After starting slow at home, the Red Sox have taken 10 of their last 15 at Fenway.

Strasburg has won three straight starts and is coming off a sensational outing against Atlanta last Saturday in which he struck out nine and did not walk a batter in seven scoreless innings. The 23-year old had topped out at five innings in his previous three turns as Washington attempts to keep a cap on his total. Strasburg has never faced Boston and is 2-1 with a 1.54 ERA in four career interleague starts.

Doubront has had far less scrutiny than Strasburg but his results have been nearly as impressive lately. The 24-year old Venezuelan has allowed two earned runs or less in five straight turns and has cut his walk total to one in each of his last two outings. Doubront has yet to make it through seven innings in a start but has gone at least six in three straight.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia (thumb) is 0-for-11 in three games since returning from a six-game absence.

2. The Nationals activated RH Brad Lidge from the 15-day disabled list on Thursday. He is expected to be available on Friday.

3. The teams last met in 2009, with Boston taking two of three at Washington.